1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a device for boats with twin outboard motors (O/Bs), or twin inboard outdrives(I/Os).
2. Description of Related Art
It is a well known fact that boats with twin O/Bs or twin I/Os have difficulties in maneuvering in close quarters, especially when attempting to turn the boat around before berthing, due to the fact that these O/Bs and or I/Os are, for steering purposes, connected together with a rigid bar, in a way that both propellers create the same parallel thrusts.
This is a disadvantage, when the operator, during maneuvering wants to turn his boat around, in narrow channels and other conjested places, with the usual maneuver of running one engine ahead and the other astern, the two propeller thrusts, on almost the same axis and so close together, actually counteract each other, with minimum turning effect. This is more obvious when there is some adverse wind or current.
The device that we will describe hereunder tends to eliminate this disadvantage, by shifting the direction of the propeller thrusts, during maneuvering, in a way that the propeller thrusts, instead of opposing each other""s effect, will now assist each other, in a combine effort to turn the boat around and in any other tight maneuver.
This device is an adjustable length bar, that will replace the existing rigid bar, the one connecting the two O/Bs, or two I/Os.
The desired results of this device can be accomplished by two methods
1. Install the motors on the boat as far apart as permitted by the manufacturer. Have the control switch and circuitry arranged so that when the switch is placed on the xe2x80x9cManeuvering Mode,xe2x80x9d said adjustable bar will expand, to the maximum permitted length, to turn the propeller thrust directions inward, forming an inverted v configuration, with propeller hubs angled toward each other, but with sufficient clearance to keep the two propellers safely apart. In this configuration, when the usual maneuvering For turning the boat to port (left) is executed, by placing the starboard engine ahead (forward) and the port astern (reverse), the propeller thrusts will assist each other to turn the boat in the required direction.
2. A narrow spacing method is for boats in which the engines cannot be installed further apart. This method however, requires the use of an Electric Gear Shift Control. An additional Counter Rotation Solenoid Switch is connected, to bring the required results.
The twin O/Bs and twin I/Os are presently connected together, for steering purposes, by a rigid bar. This is a disadvantage because, the two propellers are always creating two parallel thrusts, and during maneuvering, to turn the boat around, in narrow channels and other conjested places, the two propellers counteract, instead of helping each other, which we believe, our adjustable length bar will correct.